Folding paper boxes



May 14, 1963 w. J. TYRsEcK ETAL 3,089,631

FOLDING PAPER BOXES Filed March 2. 1959 INVENToRs WALTER J. TvRsEcK 5ROBERT A. HACKENBERG United States Patent O 3,089,631 FLDING PAPER BOXESWalter J. Tyrseck, Montville, and Robert A. Hackenberg,

Norwich, Conn., assignors to Robertson Paper Box Company Incorporated,Montville, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Mar. 2, 1959, Ser.No. 796,478 8 Claims. (Cl. 229-16) This invention relates to foldingpaper boxes.

More particularly, the invention is concerned with paper boxes havinginternal shelf structures and with an improved construction thereof inwhich the Ishelf is integral with the box generally.

It is an object of the invention to provide a box of the characterindicated which can lbe manufactured on high speed machinery and shippedin collapsed condition for setting up by the customer, and in which theshelf structure sets up automatically along with the bottom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a box structure of thetype indicated in which the blank is of convenient dimensions and formfor economically cutting from rectangular sheets of board.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a box of the typeindicated in which the shelf structure is incorporated with the bottomconstruction in such a manner that the two coact reciprocally forholding each other in position and rigidifying and strengthening the boxas a whole.

With the foregoing and other objects which will appear in the followingfull description in mind, the invention consists in the combination andarrangements of parts and details of construction which will now rst bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawing, and the featuresforming the invention will then be pointed out more particularly in theappended claims.

In the drawing:

lFIG. l is an isometric of a box or carton embodying the invention in apreferred forni;

FIG. 2 is a flat View of the blank used in making the box of FIG. l;

IFIG. 3 illustrates the folding of the blank of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the box of FIG. l; and

FIG. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of FIG. -1.

The box of the invention comprises a series of aligned wall panels andglue flap 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 foldable on scored hinge lines 2, 4, 6 and 8`to form a rectangular box structure. Along one side of this line ofpanels (the top of the box) are flaps 11, 15, 13 and 17 foldable onscored hinge lines i, 12, 14 and 16 to form a top closure. Panels 3, 5and 7 carry -ap elements identified by odd numerals 19 to 27 andfoldable on the scored hinge lines identified by even numerals from 18to 26. These elements together with panel 29 joined to the Wall panel 1on scored hinge line 28 form a self-locking automatic setting up bottomfor the box and the panels identified by odd numerals 31 to 39, andfoldable on scored hinge lines identied by even numerals from 30 to 38,are carried by this panel 29 in such a manner as to form the contentsholding shelf, which shelf, together with the self-locking bottom, arefolded in collapsed form and set up automatically and as a unit when thebox is to be used.

The panels 33, etc. to the left of fold line 32 in FIG. 2, are firstfolded over as a unit on hinge line 32 so that these panels overlie thepanels 29 and 31. The blank is then folded on the lines 18-26-22-28 asindicated in FIG. 3, the backs (in FIG. 2) of panels 27, 29 beingspotted with adhesive as indicated at B and C, as well as the back A (inFIG. 2) of the glue flap panel 35. This brings the adhesive surface ofpanel 35 against panel '1, joining the flap to this panel.

The partially folded blank of FIG. 3 is now folded over successively onfold line 2 and then on fold line 6, which brings fold line 8 over theend of the back (FIG. 2) of wall panel 1 and joins the glue flap 9, thesurface of which is previously prepared with adhesive, 'to the back ofpanel 1. Preliminary to these folds, the aps 21 and 25 are folded backon their fold lines 20 and 24, as indicated in FIG. 3.

The collapsed box is now completed 4and it may be set up by applyingpressure at its opposite ends (i.e., at fold lines 2 and 6). Thetriangular bottom ilap element 21 will have been adhesively joined tobottom flap panel 27 and bottom flap element 25 will have beenadhesively joined to the bottom element 29', the triangular ap 21 lyingfolded over against the triangular gusset 19 and flap 25 similarly lyingflat against the gusset 23. The straightening out of the box fromcollapsed condition into the rectangular form of FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 bringspanels 5 and 7 into right angles with each other, thus pulling down thestructure composed of gusset panel l19 and bottom panel 27 intoperpendicularity with these two walls and similarly pulling down panel29 and gusset panel 23 into perpendicularity with side walls 1 and 3, sothat the gusset panels 19, 23 and bottom panels 27, 29 form a at bottomas shown in FIG. 4, in which Vpanel 29 which is full width of the box,overlies the other elements. At the 4same time, the pulling down ofbottom panel 29 from the broken line position indicated in FIG. 5 intothe full line position of that ligure, lowers panels 311 and 33 into thefull line position of FIG. 5, so that panel 33 forms a shelf extendingacross the box and spaced from its bottom. This shelf structure issupported along one edge by the glueing of ap 35 to panel 1 and alongthe opposite edge by panel 31 which lies against 'Wall panel 5 and restsupon the bottom structure of the box. The ends of the shelf are alsosupported by flaps 37 and 39 which also extend down to the box bottom.The shelf 33` may be provided with openings or other article holdingmeans, such as indicated by the circular cut outs C-1 and C-Z which maytake, respectively, a pair of containers, as, for example, a can orother container for material in granular form and a material in liquidform to be mixed together for use in patching or similar operations.Bottom panel 29 preferably has a central projection 41 extending beyondthe fold line 30' as indicated and fold line 26- has a central cut out42 for accommodating this projection, as indicated in FIG. 5. As will beapparent, projection 41 extending under the lower edge of side wall 5generally holds the shelf structure down in the position of FIG. 5 andin so doing also holds the bottom in set up and fiat condition. As willbe observed, panels 29 and 31 are recessed to accommodate ilap 39 infolding the elements along fold line 2, since flap 39 is initiallyfolded through two right angles and then folded back through one rightangle in setting up the box. Since flap 37 is not folded until the boxis set up no such accommodation is required for this element.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding paper box comprising four wall elements hingedly joined forcollapsing into a flat structure and opening up into a rectangularstructure upon application of pressure to the ends of said fiatstructure, an automatically setting up bottom for the said boxcomprising a pair of bottom panels joined to each other and to a pair ofadjacent side walls and a second pair of bottom panels joined to eachother and fto the other two side walls, each pair of bottom panels beingfoldable up inside the collapsed structure and opening out intoperpendicular relationship to the side walls to which joined when thebox is set up, one of said bottom panels extending substantially fullwidth of the box, and a shelf structure comprising a shelf lwithin thebox and spaced from its bottom,

a glue flap along one edge of the said shelf joining it to a wall of thesaid box and a supporting panel joined to the opposite edge of the saidshelf and connecting to the said full width bottom panel, whereby thesaid shelf structure folds up flat inside the collapsed box along withthe bottom panel to which attached and moves downwardly therewith whenthe box is set up.

2. A folding paper box comprising four wall elements hingedly joined forcollapsing into a flat structure and opening up into a rectangularstructure upon application of pressure to the end of said flatstructure, an automatically setting up bottom for the said boxcomprising a pair of bottom panels joined -to each other and to a pairof adjacent side walls and a second pair of bottom panels joined to eachother and to the other two side walls, each pair of bottom panels beingfoldable up inside the collapsed structure and opening out intoperpendicular relationship to the side walls to which joined when thebor isset up, the side wall adjacent one of said bottom panels having aslit adjacent the hinge line of the said bottom panel, the opposite saidbottom panel extending substantially full width of the box and having acentral projection passing through said slit to lock the bottom inposition, and a shelf structure comprising a shelf within the box andspaced from its bottom, a glue flap along one edge of the said shelfjoining it to a wall of the said box and a supporting panel joined tothe opposite edge of the said shelf and connecting to the said fullwidth bottom panel, whereby fthe said shelf structure folds up flatinside the collapsed box along with the bottom panel to which attachedand moves downwardly therewith when the box is set up.

3. A folding paper box comprising four wall elements hingedly joined forcollapsing into a flat structure and opening up into a rectangularstructure upon application of pressure to the ends of said flatstructure, an automatically setting up bottom for the said boxcomprising a pair of bottom panels joined to each other and to a pair ofadjacent side `walls and a second pair of bottom panels joined to eachother and -to the other two side walls, each pair of bottom panelscomprising a triangular panel joined by hinge lines to a side wall paneland to the other bottom panel of the said pair, each pair being foldableup inside the collapsed structure and opening out into perpendicularrelationship to the side walls to -which joined when the box is set up,one of said bottom panels extending substantially full width of the box,and a shelf structure cornprising a shelf within the `box and spacedfrom its bottom, a glue ap along one edge of the said shelf joining itto a wall of the said box and a supporting panel joined to the oppositeedge of the said shelf and connecting to the said full width bottompanel, whereby the said shelf structure folds up flat inside thecollapsed box along with the bottom panel to which attached and movesdownwardly therewith when the box is set up.

4. A folding paper box according to claim 3, in which the said shelfsubstantially touches all four walls of the box and has flaps hingedlyjoined to its remaining two sides and extending downwardly to the bottomof the box whereby the said shelf ends are supported and stitfened.

5. A folding paper box comprising four walls hingedly joined to form arectangular box structure collapsible by folding on two alternate hingesto lie at with two of the said walls overlying the other two said walls,a selferecting bottom comprising bottom panels hingedly joined to thesaid walls and foldable therebetween when the box is collapsed, one ofthe said bottom panels extending substantially full width of the box, ashelf hingedly fastened along one edge to the wall carrying the lastmentioned bottom panel and in spaced relation to the bottom of the saidwall, and a shelf supporting panel hingedly joined to the free edges ofthe said bottom panel and shelf whereby the shelf folds up inside thebox when collapsed and is pulled down into position parallel to thebottom when the box is set up.

6. A folding paper box according to claim 5, in which the said lastmentioned bottom panel has a projection midway of its free edge and thebox has a slit accommodating the said projection in set-up position.

7. A folding paper box blank comprising an aligned series of four wallpanels and a glue flap for forming a box structure, top closure flapelements along one edge of the said series and bottom closure elementsalong the other said edge, the said bottom closure elements comprisinggenerally rectangular panels joined to the first and third of the saidwall panels and triangular gusset panels joined to the second and fourthsaid wall panels, glue flaps for joining the gusset panel on the secondsaid wall panel to the bottom panel on the rst said wall panel and forjoining te gusset panel on the fourth said wall panel to the bottompanel on lthe third said wall panel, the lbcttom panel attached to .thesaid first wall panel having a width substantially equal to the lengthof the second wall panel whereby the said bottom panel will extendsubstantially completely across the box when set up, a shelf structurehingedly `joined to the edge of the last mentioned bottom panel andcomprising in order a supporting panel, shelf panel and glue Hap, thesaid shelf structure being foldable on the line joining the supportingpanel and shelf panel for joining the glue flap to the said first wallpanel.

8. A folding paper box blank according to claim 7, in which the saidshelf panel also has end supporting aps hingedly joined to its ends andthe `first said shelf supporting panel and last mentioned bottom panelhave a recess in their edges adjacent the said second wall panel foraccommodating a said shelf supporting ap in folded position when theybox is lcollapsed.

2. A FOLDING PAPER BOX COMPRISING FOUR WALL ELEMENTS HINGEDLY JOINED FORCOLLAPSING INTO A FLAT STRUCTURE AND OPENING UP INTO A RECTANGULARSTRUCTURE UPON APPLICATION OF PRESSURE TO THE END OF SAID FLATSTRUCTURE, AN AUTOMATICALLY SETTING UP BOTTOM FOR THE SAID BOXCOMPRISING A PAIR OF BOTTOM PANELS JOINED TO EACH OTHER AND TO A PAIR OFADJACENT SIDE WALLS AND A SECOND PAIR OF BOTTOM PANELS JOINED TO EACHOTHER AND TO THE OTHER TWO SIDE WALLS, EACH PAIR OF BOTTOM PANELS BEINGFOLDABLE UP INSIDE THE COLLAPSED STRUCTURE AND OPENING OUT INTOPERPENDICULAR RELATIONSHIP TO THE SIDE WALLS TO WHICH JOINED WHEN THEBOR IS SET UP, THE SIDE WALL ADJACENT ONE OF SAID BOTTOM PANELS HAVING ASLIT ADJACENT THE HINGE LINE OF THE SAID BOTTOM PANEL, THE OPPOSITE SAIDBOTTOM PANEL EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY FUL WIDTH OF THE BOX AND HAVING ACENTRAL PROJECTION PASSING THROUGH SAID SLIT TO LOCK THE BOTTOM INPOSITION, AND A SHELF STRUCTURE COMPRISING A SHELF WITHIN THE BOX ANDSPACED FROM ITS BOTTOM, A GLUE FLAP ALONG ONE EDGE OF THE SAID SHELFJOINING IT TO A WALL OF THE SAID BOX AND A SUPPORTING PANEL JOINED TOTHE OPPOSITE EDGE OF THE SHELF AND CONNECTING TO THE SAID FULL WIDTHBOTTOM PANEL, WHEREBY THE SAID SHELF STRUCTURE FOLDS UP FLAT INSIDE THECOLLAPSED BOX ALONG WITH THE BOTTOM PANEL TO WHICH ATTACHED AND MOVESDOWNWARDLY THEREWITH WHEN THE BOX IS SET UP.